Stethoscope



A. B. SPACH sTETHoscoPE Filed' Ju'n'e 273, 1921 Patented Aparzz, y1924. i

UNITED; STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

i Munn n. sPAcH, or CHICAGQILLINOIS.

Appilieatiozin Med June 27, 19,21. Serial No. 480,571.

To all whom t may concern. 1

' Be it known that I, AMUEL SPAH, a citizen of the United States, anda resident ofy Chicago, in the vcounty of Cook and Statey with a portion of the invention pertaining.

more particularly to the'binauraltypeof y,stethoscope and having for its object the f provision' of means whereby the binaurals may' be yreadily :adjusted tof the varying shapes of the external auditory meatus lor opening of the external ears, thereby not .only providing a more comfortable stetho-V scope of the4 type mentioned, but also there- *byy providing an instrument adapted to fit morey closely to the 'ear-openings so as to transmit the sound'waves without loss as, however, has been the' case kwith stethoscopes heretofore jemployed wherein an improper fitting of the ear-piece resulted because of the non-adjustability `of the binauralsof the stethoscope( f f Anotherv portion `of the invention ,relatesl to the stethoscopeproper and has for yits object the provision ofa stethoscope ywherebyall sound waves entering the bell of the instrument will be brought to a focus and completelyy transmitted through the aural pieces of the stethoscope; the stethoscope proper being so constructed that'an augmenter or resonator is'vprovided adjacent to the bell portion of the instrument soy that the yvibrations or resultant sound wavesr will be conveyed in accentuated condition and under more .or less control of the diagnostician, while the over tones'y may kbe substantially eliminated or entirely suppressed.

A further object kof my invention is to provide a stethoscope wherein the augmenter `or resonatork is soformed and constructed vthat it may be ladjustable as to kdimensions and its capacity kthereby increased or dimin- .ished at thev will of the operator;,with` said' resonator, however, so formed, whether in extended, or contracted condition, that the yprincipal tones `will be conveyed kby the soundwaves to the ear in accentuated con`di tion, while at the same time the Contact sounds will be reduced to a minimum and any over tones more or less suppressed.

Theobjects and advantages of my inventlon will be more readily comprchended from the'detailed description of the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure. 1 illustrates my improved stethoscope inyelevation. i y

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view of one of the aural members of the stethoscope and its holding member.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View,

of the main or body portion of my improved stethoscope with its aural piece or tube .receiving portion.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main or bell portion of my improved stethoscope shown in distended condition.

Figure 5 is a detail view of a portion of the adjustable bracket or holding member for the aural members of the stethoscope.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows, with portions broken away. e e

In the exemplification of the invention, as illustrated inthe drawing` it Vcomprises the body or bellportion 10 which is internally formed with a parabolic curved surface so that all sounds encountered by any part of the bell interior will be brought to a focus and be conveyedthrough a suitable channel yor passage 11, at the vertex of the bell, into an augmenter or resonator 12, consisting of preferably two tubular members 13 and 14 arranged in telescopic relation with each other. The tubular member 13 is preferably formed integral with or immovably secured to the apex of the bell portion of the stetho scope. In the particular excmplication. the Vbell portion 10, at its aper or outlet end. is shown provided with an elongated stem portion` 15', shown of more or less thickness` through which the passage 11 disposed and the end of the stem 15 within the shell 13 is provided-with an arcuate or substantially semi-spherical surface 16; while the opposite or outer end of the cylindrical shell or jtube 14 is also provided with au end wall or disc 17 of any proper thickness, with the-inner surface Vof the wall concaved or substantially semi-spherical at 18 in order that the opposite surfaces of the Stem'or disc-portion 15 and disc portion 1T, in conjunction with the tubular memlfers 13 and 14, will provide a somewhat spherical chamber, at least a chamber somewhat in the nature of an oblatc spheroid.

The tubes 13 and 14. are arranged in telescopic relation so as to enable the two arouate or semi-spherical surfaces 1G and 18 of end Walls 15 and 17, respectively, to be brought into such close relation with each other when the tubes are in their maximum contracted relation, that a substantially spherical chamber is provided with the augmenter or `resonator portion of the instrument, as more clearly shown in Figure 3; the telescopic relation betiveen tubes 13 and 14 being such as to permit the resonator to be extended into the condition shown in Figure l, with its semi-spherical or concaved end Walls spaced farther apart and thereby producing the oblong or elongated chamber of increased capacity.

The end Wall or disc member 1T is shown preferably terminating in a thimble portion which is adapted to receive the end of the sound-conveying tubular member 19, Whose outer end is bifurcated to provide the spreading outlets 20, which are eac-h adapted to receive a flexible or rubber tube 21, 21, the ends whereof attached to or slipped over the metallic or rigid tubes 22, 22 Which terminate in suitable apertured ear pieces 23.

The aural portions 22 are adjustably secured together by means of clip members 24;, 2st preferably composed of thin sheet metal which is more or less flexible. Each clip member QJ; has one end provided with the angular or channel formation shown at 25; the parallel sides whereof are apertured for the passage of the tubular member 22 and at the saine time providing gripping relation with the member 22. The formation of the attaching ends of the clip or holding member as thus far described has been preriously employed, but such members were not constructed to permit adjustment of the binaurals in directions lengthwise or transversely of the. members as is the case with my improved clip or holding element, wherein each clip or holding member 24 at the inner or overlapping end thereof is provided With an elongated slot 2G adapted for the passage of a suitable thumb or set-screw 27, which, as shown in the drawing, may be provided With a tlrumb-nut as at 28 to permit easy manipulation of the clamping means which is adapted to hold the clip members 24 in their expanded or contracted relation. p heretofore provided have usually been joined by means of a single spring clip which could only be slightly adjusted to the extent of the flexibility of the metal, which, of course, was in one direction only, but such The binaurals of stethoscopes as' bowing or flexing of the metal clip causes an improper disposition or presentation of the ear pieces 23. lli/'ith my improved construction itis apparent that adjustment may be made in a direction lengthwise of the clip members, as Well as in a direction transversely thereof, thereby permitting a sepas ration of the binaurals laterally, or a closer bringing together of the same, which enables them to be adjusted to properly fit the varying shapes of the external auditory meatus or openings of thc external ears and Without undue pressure.

The perimeter of the bell 10 is preferably provided with a band or ring oit rubber, or other non-metallic, non-sound-oonveying medium, as at 29, see Figures 3 and 4; the rubber covering for the perimeter of the bell tending to reduce contact sounds and interference sounds to a minimum, so that merely the desired sounds Will be conveyed through the instrument and a more precise diagnosis thus permitted.

Constructing the bell with an inner para bolic curved surface, causes all sound Waves contacting with the inner surface of the bell to be brought to a common center or focus which results in all of the sound waves being conveyed through the passage 11 disposed at the vertex of the bell; the sound waves in turn being conveyed into the augmenter or resonator before they are transmitted through the aural pieces of the in strument; andthe density of these sound Waves may be affected or attenuated by enlarging or distending the chamber of the resonator or augmenter to suit the desires or needs of the operator and the conditions un ler Which, the diagnosis is being made; While other conditions may necessitate operating With the resonator in normal or contracted condition shown in Figure 3, whereby the density of the sound Waves may be increased and complete transmission thereof, through the ear or aural pieces to the ear of the diagnostician thereby enabled. Vith my improved construction contact sounds are not only reduced to a minimum, but over-tones may be suppressed and principal tones accentuated, through proper manipulation of the. telescopic cylinder (Whose opposite ends present arcuate or curved surfaces substantially semi-spherical as previously described) whereby the capacity of the chamber or resonator may be increased or diminished at the will of the operator. At the same time my improve-d stethosco i is so constructed that it may be immediate y adjusted to lit the particular shape or formation of the external auditory opening of the ear of the user and the car pieces made to properly fit into the external ear so that merely the sounds passing through the stethoscope lwill be conveyed or transmitted into the ear.

llo

outer tube or member v14 provided withfa pair ofv spaced lugs 30 disposed on opposite sides of a slot or opening in said member 14. The `lugs 30 provide bearing for the spindley or stem 31 of a thumb-wheel 32 topermit rotation thereof; and the spindle 31, at a point intermediateof the lugs i is `provided with 'a small pinion or star wheel 33 which extends through the opening. or slot in the member 14 and engages with they rack or toothed surface 34 formed lengthwise of the inner member 13, see Fig ures 3, 4 and 6. With this construction, it is apparent that rotation of thumb-wheel 32 and therefore of star wheel 33, will cause the inner member 13 to be moved outwardly or inwardly dependingr upon the direction of rotation of the wheel 33. With the pinion meshin with the rack or toothed surface not ony permits adjustment of the inner member ofthe augmenter or resonator, but at the same time will hold the same in its adjusted position against collapsing, 'and also prevent the inner member with the bell 10 from slipping outof the outery member 14. t

The construction shown and described I believe to`be the simplest embodiment of s my invention and the termsand expressions employed kare merel used asterms of description and not of llmitation, as there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding Yany mechanical equivalents for they respective features shown and described, as certain structural modifications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is :4-

1.y A stethoscope, comprising a bell portion having an inner parabolic curved surf face with an elongated restricted outlet opening at the vertexk thereof terminating in a concaved orifice, and a resonator secured to said outlet, provided with a concaved inner end wall, said resonator being composed of a pair of telescopically arranged cylindrical tubes of larger internal diameter than said outlet opening, t-he outer tubing being provided with a restricted tubular outlet. t

2. In a stethoscope, an adjustable binaural clip, comprising a pair of correlated curved members, the outer ends whereof are ybent to form holding relation with the aural tubes of the stethoscope, while the adjacent ends thereof are adapted to overlap each other with the overlapping end of each member provided with an elongated slot,

and clamping means disposed through the slots of both members whereby longitudinal and lateral adjustment of the members may be had and maintained.

3. In a binaural stethoscope, a pair of clip members, the outer ends whereof are bent to provide a pair of substantial parallel portions disposed perpendicular to the main port-ions of the members, the substantially parallel portions being apertured to permit the aural elements to slide therethrough and be maintained in associated relation, the adjacent ends of the clipl members being arranged in lapping relation with each other and longitudinally slotted, and means disposed through the slotted ends of the members for adjustably securing the same together and permitting movement in a lengthwise direction or in a direction transversely ofthe length of said members. j

4. A stethoscope, comprising a bell portion having an inner parabolic curved surface, an outlet opening at the vertex of said bell portion, a pair of tubular members arranged in telescopic relation, the inner diameters of the tubular members being larger than said outlet opening, one of said tubular members being secured to the outlet opening of the bell portion while the other ytubular member is provided with a restricted outlet, the inner end of the tubular member about the outlet opening` of the bell and the inner end wall of the tubuoidal chamber, and means whereby the tele-V scopic relation of the tubular members may be controlled.

5. A stethoscope, comprising a bell portion, a resonator secured to said bell portion and composed of cylindrical members arranged in telescopic relation, and means whereby the telescopic relation of the cylindrical members may be controlled and the internal dimensions of the resonator determined.

6. A stethoscope, comprising a bell portion, the inner surface whereof describes a parabolic curve, a resonator composed of a pair of tubular members arranged in telescopic relation with each other, one of said members being secured to the bell portion, while the other is secured to the aural elements of the stethoscope, the connected ends of each member beingr dished or concaved, and regulable means whereby the telescopic relation between the tubular members may be controlled and the latter held in their adjusted positions.

AMUEL B. SPACH. Witnesses:

GEORGE HEIDMAN, F. A. FnonnLL. 

